Chapter Eleven
Deke lifted Cassie back into the truck seat again. Shutting it, he asked Raine and Bones to make sure everyone got out safely. He walked over to the other side of the truck and got behind the wheel. He paused then said, “Don’t ever do that again, Spitfire. I about went crazy when you went missing.”
Cassie smiled. “Well, Spawn...it wasn’t my idea. I didn’t want this either, I’m just glad no one got hurt and I’m on my way home.”
Deke turned his head. “Well, I wouldn’t say no one got hurt, but at least it wasn’t on our side.” He reached down and turned the key. The engine roared and he pressed the gas pedal. The truck roared off.
Cassie was on her way home.
Coming through the gate she found most of the guys that weren’t at the warehouse piling out the front door. Some of Amos’ men were there as well. “Where are the kids?” she asked.
“They are at home with Paige. I had Dad call them. I didn’t want them to see you all beaten up.
Luckily, you have just a cut. But that jaw is gonna be bruised.
Everyone is coming back here tonight so we can all celebrate your coming home.
I just needed a minute to calm down some and you need to get cleaned up. ”
Cassie nodded. “Ok Deke. I can do that.” She reached her hand out and cupped his cheek.
“I love you so much that it doesn’t seem possible.
My only thought the whole time I was there was that I had to stay and wait for you to come and get me.
And even when I tackled that asswipe, you still showed up anyway.
” She shook her head and chuckled. “Rufus was waiting to take me to my safe place so I wouldn’t have to deal with those jokers but I kept my mind busy by thinking you would be there soon.
I just had to wait for you to come. And you came for me. ”
Deke nodded. “I’ll always come for you no matter what. You are the other half of my soul baby, I’ll come every fuckin time.” Then he leaned closer and kissed her gently, mindful of her busted lip. “Come on, I want you cleaned up before we send for the kids.”
They got out of the truck and walked up to the front doors. Everyone began to hoot and holler that they were glad she was back where she belonged. Once she got through the men she also had to go through the women and they hugged the life out of her.
Then she found Raine waiting for her and he took her hand and led her down the hall to his infirmary. Deke was right behind her and they watched as Raine cleaned her wrists and wrapped them in bandages then he cleaned her face and examined her bruise jaw and cut lip.
Peaches came in at one point with a clean shirt and after Raine was done they left the two girls together. Peaches looked at Cassie and she had tears in her eyes, “What the hell happened? Who were those guys? What did they want?”
Cassie looked at her and said, “They were the Screaming Falcons.”
Peaches gasped and her hand flew to cover her mouth. “What did they want?” she whispered.
Cassie looked at her. “They wanted Robbie, well they wanted Robbie’s secrets.” Cassie sighed hard.
“What did you tell them?” Peaches whispered.
Cassie shrugged. “I didn’t tell them anything. It was none of my business and I don’t pass on rumors.”
“But Cassie, you know where he went on the days he was gone. You and I both know.” She stared at her friend.
Cassie leaned forward and grasped her hands.
“Peaches, don’t worry. I won’t let them hurt you, not ever again, not because of a man like Robbie Pierce.
He was a complete waste of a human being.
And Janelle? She was even worse. At least now Robbie and his so-called mother are in hell, burning in the fires that never go out. Let them burn.”
Peaches gripped Casie’s hands hard. Cassie steadied her friend and then leaned her head forward to touch Peaches’ head. “I promised you a long time ago that I would keep you safe, have I ever let you down yet?”
Peaches shook her head. “No Cassie, you never let me down. But we’re no longer kids, you know?”
“I will always be there for you no matter how old we get. But there is one thing I want you to do for me. I want you to wear the vest we wore when we left here the first time.”
Peaches cocked her head at her and asked, “Why? We got new cuts when we joined Deke and Iceman.”
Cassie smiled. “You may not know this but Zipper found us before by using those vests. He put a tracker in the collar.”
Peaches looked stunned. Then she smiled. “That’s very clever isn’t it?”
Cassie gripped Peaches’ hands tighter. “I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I tell you to do. You find that cut and wear it every day. Don’t take any chances.
They found me at Redemption House. And they could grab you anywhere if they come back here.
They didn’t get what they wanted this time and that guy Banger?
He’s half crazy. He was looking for his family’s gold.
You and I know what Robbie would do with that. ”
Peaches nodded. “Robbie would have protected that from his mother and hoarded it well until he felt it was safe enough to use. You followed him around after we left. I remember that part. So know where it is, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. That’s why we both have to be very careful from now on.”
The next afternoon...
Boxer and his boys got home. All except for Rodney. The Sin’s Bastards insisted on keeping him. Boxer understood this as the man did that to himself. He knocked Deke’s wife out, took her, then slapped her around. They were lucky, Tory allowed them to leave at all.
All of them groaned in relief as they turned on the private road that would lead them home.
Boxer and Banger both slowed down as they made the last turn before they got to their clubhouse.
Then they just stopped their bikes in the driveway and stared.
The other brothers rode slowly up to them and when they saw what was left of their home they stared as well.
None of them could seem to speak.
Their clubhouse once stood tall at two stories and it was their home so they took good care of it but now it lay in ruins. Dust and debris were everywhere and the once tall walls had been left in rubble.
Boxer slowly got off his bike and walked forward among the debris scattered all over the place.
He looked stunned. He even bent over to pick up one of the plaques they once had on their walls.
The plaque was mostly intact but the edges were fractured and showed signs of being burnt.
He turned back to his brothers and asked, “What the hell happened here?”
Nobody could answer because no one knew.
Everyone got off their bikes to look around.
Finn dismounted and wandered around looking for clues, he stood near the tree line then he shouted out, “Got something!” He ripped that something from one of the trees and turned back to Boxer. He walked over to where he stood and he handed him the paper he’d torn off the tree.
Boxer looked down at the paper. Then he roared in rage at what he read.
Banger grabbed the paper and looked at it. All he could see was the capital V on it. He looked up and glared at Boxer. “What the hell is this?” he demanded.
Boxer looked at him and said, “This is a warning from Leon. We might not have touched his granddaughter but he’s telling us to back off and forget our mission.” He paused then ran his hands over his head.
Chewy looked scared now. “Jesus Christ, we may have just fucked ourselves.”
Banger shook his head as he looked enraged. “I can do this alone. I’m getting back what Robbie stole.”
Boxer moved toward him and grabbed him up by his cut.
“And just what are you thinking of doing now? Are you going back to Troy and grab Cassie again? Are you fucking nuts? Has all that time away warped your brain, son? You go after her again and you just painted a big red X on all our backs. Vincinti warned us by blowing up our club. His next step might be a gun battle. He is the mob, Virgil. He has more men at his disposal than we can ever imagine. We won’t win because he’ll make sure we don’t. ”
Banger raised his hands and pried Boxer’s fingers from his cut.
Then he stepped back. “I’m not asking any of you to come with me but I’m going back.
” He looked around at his former club grounds.
“Do you know what this tells me? I was right, that bitch knows more than what she told us. I have a feeling she knows where Robbie used to call home when he wasn’t at mommy’s place.
She knows and she’s going to tell me what she knows.
” He turned around and walked back to his ride.
Swinging his leg around it, he kick-started his engine, turned his bike around and rode off.
The rest of his club just stood there and watched him leave.